A dog playground can help keep your furry friend active and sharp. You could spend hours driving to a pet playground, or you could make your own — complete with a plastic pool, tires, balls, and more — in your backyard.

Step 1 – Preparing the Area

Designate a large area, like a backyard, for the canine playground. Before making your playground, make sure the entire space is dog-friendly. Clear the space from any debris or objects that could get in the way of building. In addition, make sure the area is level, so that you or your furry friend don’t get hurt when playing.

Step 2 – Making Obstacles and Platforms

Get buckets of any size or shape, and fill them with the cement-and-water mixture as per instructions. Let it dry. Then, empty the buckets where you want to make you obstacle course or platforms. Place the cement buckets in any shape or configuration, but make sure they aren't too easy or difficult for your dog's breed and size to climb on.

Step 3 – Setting up Tires

Designate an area with dirt for setting up the tires. With a pick and a shovel, dig a hole for each tire, around 10-inches deep. Put the tire in the hole vertically, and then bury the bottom half of the tire with a shovel. Make sure to leave enough space for your canine to crawl under the tire. If the tire is too small for your dog to run through, your dog can also jump over the tires. Space each tire out with enough distance between each, especially if your pup will be jumping over them.

Step 4 – Installing a Pool

Many dogs love to swim. Adding a plastic pool to your pet’s playground not only will provide them with more fun, but also it can help cool them down on a hot day. Simply purchase a plastic pool from the store, and place it in the playground. Make sure that your dog has a separate source for drinking water. Do not use any chemicals in the pool, just in case your dog does decide to drink from it. Do keep the plastic pool clean, so that is stays safe and sanitary for your pet.

Step 5 – Adding Toys

No dog playground is complete without toys. Add a variety of rubber balls for your canine friend to play with. Do not use foam balls, however, as some dogs will eat them. Flying discs and other dog-friendly toys are also good choices.

Step 6 – Use Your Playground

It’s okay to simply supervise your pet while it runs around the playground. However, to get the most benefit from the new area, you should read dog-training books to train your dog to complete tricks and run the obstacles.